SV Bella Dawn missing en route Boot Key to Bimini Bahamas

[team karst]

Found in the Exumas reportedly. Looking now for something more official.

[Stewie12]

He and his boat have been found near Exuma. All well.

[Nickodemus]

Hopefully you have all already heard, but they found the boat and the captain safe and sound anchored off the Exumas. Great news!

[Stewie12]

He and his boat are safe in Exuma

https://www.local10.com/news/local/2...=wplg_breaking

[ArmyDaveNY]

I am glad to hear that he is all right. I tend to agree with the others who noted that he may not have been aware that he was reported as missing.

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by Mara Mae

Does he not have AIS?

I've been amazed at the number and size of boats offshore without AIS. Huge drag-net fishing boats with no AIS! Covered in lights so intense you can't see their navigation lights and have no way to identify which way they're traveling or how fast they're going.

This stuff is cheap and easy. There's no excuse for not having AIS transmit in 2021.

[smj]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

I've been amazed at the number and size of boats offshore without AIS. Huge drag-net fishing boats with no AIS! Covered in lights so intense you can't see their navigation lights and have no way to identify which way they're traveling or how fast they're going.



This stuff is cheap and easy. There's no excuse for not having AIS transmit in 2021.

And there’s no excuse for leaving the damn thing on while at the dock or on anchor. Hated ours

[HopCar]

The story in the Miami Herald said he didn’t know he was missing. How the heck did he end up in Exuma when he was headed to Bimini?

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by smj

And there’s no excuse for leaving the damn thing on while at the dock or on anchor. Hated ours

At the dock I can see turning AIS off. But at anchor, as far as I'm concerned, it should be transmitting.

[rslifkin]

Originally Posted by HopCar

The story in the Miami Herald said he didn’t know he was missing. How the heck did he end up in Exuma when he was headed to Bimini?

Change of plans due to weather or something?

[smj]

Originally Posted by rslifkin

At the dock I can see turning AIS off. But at anchor, as far as I'm concerned, it should be transmitting.

Why? So one can find their friends in an anchorage while blindly drunk?

[team karst]

Sounds like floatplan/ COMM confusion.

[LoudMusic]

Originally Posted by smj

Why? So one can find their friends in an anchorage while blindly drunk?

Because an anchorage is a navigable area. AIS is for identifying things on the water that are not on charts which could be a hazard to navigation. It also let's you know they're not moving into or out of your course. It's why you see cargo ships in AIS with their status set to "At Anchor".

If they're at the dock they're effectively part of the dock.

[Jim Cate]

Originally Posted by LoudMusic

Because an anchorage is a navigable area. AIS is for identifying things on the water that are not on charts which could be a hazard to navigation. It also let's you know they're not moving into or out of your course. It's why you see cargo ships in AIS with their status set to "At Anchor".

If they're at the dock they're effectively part of the dock.

I agree with the above, and follow the practice myself. Further, in most areas there is little downside to leaving the AIS on whilst docked. In highly congested spots, perhaps... but they are kinda rare down here!

Jim

[NYSail]

Never at my slip but do keep it on at anchor. Fog rolls in and I want to be seen.

Greg